HIST 1007 Chapter : China Around 1500
Document Summary
China contributed porceline, gunpowder, silk, and others: government. China is like a subcontinent-it"s a huge country-it"s a unified. The emperor was the "mandate of heaven" the government was a bureaucracy. Ming dynasty, 1368-1644---hongwu is believed to hang founded the ming (1368-1398) ming means "brilliant" it was a propoganda name--purged many people-not necessarily the most peaceful dynasty. Temple of heaven-once a year emperor would renew mandate of heaven. Qing dynasty, 1644-1911--"pure dynasty"-ruler made sure families maintained manchurian traits-did not mingle with other. Chinese--kangxi emperor(reigning 1661-1722)--christian missionaries begin to show up in china. Kow-tow ritual--prostrate 3 times with chin touching ground when in presence of emporer. Civil service exams were based on classic of chinese learning which placed people in their levels. If corruption set in and things were going wrong, emperor would lose mandate of heaven and chinese change in dynasty would probably take place-reasoning would be natural disasters to signal a lack of harmony.
